Electric signaling system.



PATENTED JUNE 2-, 1908.

P L O'BRYAN ELECTRIC SIGNALING SYSTEM.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1;

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1908- PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

P. L. OBRYAN, ELECTRIC SIGNALING SYSTEM.

3 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

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APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8. 1908.

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FRANFlS L. OBRYAN, OF SOUTH FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HIRAM STANLEY MARSH, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC SIGNALING SYSTEK No. 889,482. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 8 1908. Serial No. 409,867.

To all whom it may concern:

' cury contact 6- moun-ted upona suitable con- Patented m 2, 1908; 1

Be it known that I, FRANCIS L..OBRYAN,' nectin piece Said mercury contact 6 is a citizen of the United States, residing in *groun ed conveniently-on one of the track South Framingham, in the county of Middlerails bya leadil. a I I v sex and State of Massachusetts, have -in-. v To thecontact arm 17 is connected a lead 60 vented certain new and useful I m rovements .k which, in turn is connected with the one in Electric Signaling Systems, 0 which the 'terminal'ofan eleotro-m a'gnetllocatedadja-' following is a specification. oenttotraek relayi isaid magnet 4, which The invention relates to electrically .op-, is conveniently ht BifiQIi' erated signals for railways, and has for its upona standard adjadentlto trao v 11eay 5 is 66 object to provide ,a signal system thatis sim- -provided.withanarrnatureiilneuntedlipori i le and positive in operation; that is not anarm 4; pivotdtothestandard.' On the iiable to derangement ..or false indications forward edge of said arm is-secured: a pendent and that 'will automatically correct abnorarm 4, to whichis attached, by a suitable mal'conditions due to the tern oraryfailure hinge, a detent 4"; which latter-is rovidedflo of the current in the main supp ycircuit, the with a lateral openingdfliandsaid. etent 48, signal being set to dan 'er byfa car or train when the armatures of-b'othnragnet 4 and reentering at one end of t e block and restored lay 5 are attracted, lies in front of a lateral to safety by the train or car leaving the arm 5 secured to the block 5", whichis atblock at the opposite end, s ecial means be tached to and movesfwith the .coretorarmaing provided for effecting t e roperactuature of relay 5. When however, armature 'tion of the signalby a secon car or train 4*of magnet 4 falls, the .portionof detent 4? entering the block under the permissive sysbelow the opening 4 engages arm-5 androtem, while a first train is still in the block, so tracts the core .of -rela)" ,5, swings block 5 as to insure the signal remaining at danger backward and lifts contact arm.17 out of the at all times while a train is in the block. Inereury eu fi thereb "breaking the "circuit guarded. thereby. established .thetracl relay 5 and block 5 In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 approachest ell-san its rearward movee is {diagrammatic view of the signaling sysment, theope'ningd" comes opposite'arm 5" tern as a whole; Fig. 2 is a perspective view and permits dten-t 4 to move behind said 85. of,the preferred form of track relay and rearm 5*, as indicated in Fig. 2.1 On the otherv storing magnet therefor; Fig. 3 is a side elehand, should the armature 4 be attracted by vation of the same; Fig. 4- is a detail permagnet 4, after track relay 5 has been actuspective view of the switching orcircuit conated to attract its. core, thehinged joint betrolling and brakin means on the motor tween detent 4 and pendent arm 4 permits shaft; Fig. 5 is an en arged detail view of the the detent to be swung backward until lateral Y sema -hore. arm 5 passes below the end of said detent,

p Re erring to the drawings R, R reprewhenaspring 4 iIn; ediately restores the desent, for instance, the east bound rails of a tent to-its normal position i-n-alinement-withdouble tra c road, said road being divided pendent arm 4; and, saiddetent 4i. lies ininto blocks of appropriate lengths. At the front of arm 5". .Should armature 4* be atforwardend of the block there is an insulated tracted. by magnet l while the relay 5' is derail section 13,-to which is connected one energized, the lateral .arm 5* ,w' pass terminal of the battery 21, connected by a through the opening 4 of the detentA? and lead 0 to one terminal of a trackrelay 5, the block 5" may be subsequently moved forother terminal of. said track relay" being .ward by the solenoid 5 until arm 5" lies just t i grounded by wire 1), so that when the wheels" behind detent 4 without affecting the rela-,-'

of a train bridge rail section 13 and the option of magnet 4 and its armature. I osite rail, said track relay 5 is energized, The opposite terminal of magnet is con- 5. Ihe'magnet of relay 5 is preferably a solennected to a lead 7' which, in turn, s connected '105 oid, :to-the core 5 of which is connected by a to one terminal of the magnet 3' of relay 30,

. suitable hinged joint a pivoted block '5", I the other terminal of said magnet be ng conrigidl attaclni-d to when is a contact arm neoted by lead'i with a brush N which con-.

17, wiich latter, when the core of the solentacts with a slip ring: 1.; mounted upon the shame of the motor A. Said motor A,

oid is attracted, dips into astationary mer forward endof the block. Mounted on the.

which may be of the ordinary series type, is mounted and housed in any agpropriate manner upon a signal post locate nearthe shaft is a semaphorm arm C, which is provided with openings 'D, behind which are mounted electric lam s Y, which are preferably lighted when t e signal is moved to danger positionto show a red light through the'openings D, which may be effected b either placing red glasses in the openings or coloring the bulbs of the lamps Y, red.

Mounted ponthe forward end of the moi tor shaft, ad acent to slip rings L and O, is a switching or commutating device, consisting of an insulated hub from which (projects four bent spring arms vI, I and G,

which are adapted to engage successively a brush or x said springs. From brush S the circuit passes by lead I) throu mere way-of lead a to a tro ley wire T, or other suitable source of electric supply. At the opposite end of the block there is located a similar arrangement of track relay and re- .storin magnet,said relay 8 being connected bya ead 'u to the trac and by a lead '0 through battery 22 to insulate track section 12. 16 and 9 indicate a contact arm and contact similar in all respects to corres on ingcontaets17and 6 at the opposite en of theblock.-

The restoring magnet for the relay is indicated at 7, and its construction and operation are practically the same as that hereinbefore described. The circuit established by track relay 8 through the electric motor is substantially as follows: Trolley wire T, lead a through the field and armature of the motor by way of lead 1), brush S,contaet arm I, leadg, to slip ring 0 mounted on shaft B of the motor A, from said slip ring!) by way of brush P, lead h to magnet 3" located oppo-' site magnet 3 of the relay 30, hereinbefore referred to, thence by lead 1" through magnet 7 and lead 8 to contact arm 16, mercury contact 9 and lead t to ground.

With respect to the relation of slip rings L and O and commutator arms G and I,it will be-noted that the arms'I, I are cross connected as are the arms G, G, said arms being located alternately and substantially ninety degrees apart, and each set vi arms is connected to an appropriate slip ring, to wit, the arms I are connected by lead 9 to slip ring 0, and arms G are connected to sli ring Lby lead f, as will be more particular y observed from Fig. 4.

Relay 30 which consistsof opposite magnets 3 and 3 and an interposed armature 3 mounted upon a pivoted arm 3", is to close the shunts about the contacts 6 and 17, and 9 when,

h the motor and by b isa suitable resistance b and 16, respectively, after the corresponding relays have been actuated, in order to pre vent the si nal remaining in ino erative position shou d the current from t e source of ower fail beforethe operation of the s' nal 18 completed. To effect theclosi of t ese shunts, it will be noted the end of tliearm 3 is provided with a, contact which engages one or the other of stationary spring contacts 10 and 11. S ring contact 11 is connected by lead m-wit wire k, which connects arm 17 with magnet 4, and the contact on theend of arm 3 is connected by lead 12/ with ground wire 1), so that when arm 3 engages contact 1 1, m and n constitute a shunt about the terminals 6 and 17, through which the circuit of the motor is closed and through which, shunt a current, which may have been interru ted and which is subsequently restab lis ed, will completely actuate the signal without disturbing the relation of track relay 5 and magnet 4. The shunt about terminals 9 and 16 is established when arm 3 engages spring 10, said shunt being by way of leadn, arm 3, spring 10, and lead w to lead 8, which is a continuation of the motor circuit through magnet 7.

To effect the lighting of the lamps Y, when the signal moves to danger the circuit. s to said lampsis closed between trolley wire '1 and the ground by way of a lead as attached to said trolley wire, which connects by means of a suitable brush to a commutator ring 11 on the shaft B of the motor A. From said commutator rin a lead asses throu h g g a both lamps and is connecte to a second commutator ring z mounted on the motor shaft whence the current is taken b a suitable brush to ground. It will be u-n ersto'od,

of course, that the conductor portions of the commutator rin s will be so arranged as to comeunder the rushes each time the semaphore arm moves to danger position so as to ight the lamps.

In order to brake the motor A and arrest the movement of the semaphore at the proper time, means' are provided for short circuiting the motor armature through a suitable resistance, 'ust before the signal arm reaches the en either danger -or safetyposition.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 4, it will. be noted that there is mounted opposite brush S and in operative relation to the spring arms I, I and G, G a spring contact 120' member J which is normally held in engagement with the spring member I or G, which happens to lie ad'acent to the same. Said contact member is connected by a lead 6. with the, motor brush opposite that to which [25 lead b is connected. Interposed in the lead Contact memher S' is adapted to be forceddnto engage ment with a stationary contact .9 by s ring arms I, G as the commutating switch'ro ates. 130,

of its movement to contact 8 by springs I, G and said contact 8 and s are connected by a lead 8. Assuming that the motor is just starting, it will be noted ,that contact member S is out of engagement with stationary contact 8 As the switch member begins to rotate, lower spring arm' I,

moves contact S toward stationary contact 8 and just before right'hand spring G passes out of engagement with contact spring J, -contact S engages stationary contact s thereby closing the shunt about the motor armature by way of lead b, brush S, stationary contact 8 lead 8 stationary contact 8, contact spring J, lead I)", and resistance b which immediately checks the speedof the motor so that when the upper s ring member I engages the contact spring the motor will stop and the opposite spring I, which serves to move pivoted contact S into engagement with stationary contact s? -issnapped ast the end of said contact S and.

permits t e latter to move back to its normal. position, thereby-breaking a I shunt, about the motor armature.

of course, that this breaking operation is effected for each actuation of the signal and;

It will be understood,

serves as'an efficient means for stopping the semaphore arm at the proper osit1ons.

' The operation of the appara usis substan tially as followsf When a cal or train enters the forward end of the block the wheels" bridge insulated rail section 13 and theppposite rail R, thereb'yclosin the circuit to track relay 5, ashereinbefore escribed The armature of said relay is attracted and closes contacts 6 and "17, thereby establishing a circuit from feed wire T, lead'a, throughmotor A, lead I), brush S, contact G, lead f, slip-ring O, brush'P, leadi,' magnet 3, lead 7', et 4, lead K, arm 17, mercury contact 6, lea Z to ground, thereby energizing motorA,

and magnets 3 and 4. Magnet 3 ofrelay 30' attracts arm 3, so thatit engages, spring contact 11. Magnet 4 lifts its armature until dctent 4 passes in front of lateral arm' 5'. When the motor A has made one-quarter of a revolution, brush S passes out of contact -,with the commutator arm Grand breaks the motor circuit, but immediate? passes into contact .with one of the arms as shown in Fig. 4. At this time the shunt to the motor armature is closed by the rotary switch, as 55,

described and the movement of the motor is quickly arrested. The breaking of the motor circuit likewise deenergizes magnet l, whose armature falls and detent 4 striking lateral arm 5 retracts the score or the track relay 5, and thereby lifts contact arm 17 out of em gagement with the mercury cup 6. The reaking of the motor circuit, however, does notafiect armature 3 'of relay 80, for the reason that said armature is pivoted at, the bottom and remains in any position to which it is moved unl'ess attracted-by a magnet op'- p osite the one by which'it was last moved.

the'co'mmutator contacts Grand S, and also,

at the track rela contacts 6 and 17, it will be noted that anot ercar or train passing over railsection 13 will not actuate the signal,

although it will operate track relay 5. As the tram, which'is entitled to rightof-way in the block, pro,ce eds toward the end of the block and its wheels: bridge insulated rail.

' section 12 and theopposite'rail R, the circuit to track relay 8 is closed, thereby closing conf ta'cts 9 and 16, and establishing the motor circuit as follows: lead a'thr'ough the motor, lead I) through the brush S, commutator arm 3?, lead 1", ma net 7, leads, contactarm 16, contact 9, leaf t to ground. This causes the motor to rotate another uarter of areyclw tion and restore'the signa to safety position, .at the same time extinguishing the lights Y behind the semaphore. This move, v,me'nt of the motor causes brush- S'to again engage one of the commutator arms- G, which, 'laces'the system in position tobe,t'iperated1 y'thenext' train entering the blocktofsetf the-signal at danger. Itw;il l be noted that should. the current fail, in the trolley wire T for a brief int'erval,"- owing to 'the' blowing of the circuit breakers o erat'ed but has not been completely set, t eshunts established by rela' 30"around" contactsfi' and 17, and 9 an tively, afio'rd, proper paths for the circuit through the motor as-soon as the current is restablis'he'dand' until the signal has been moved to either dangeror'safety, as the case *may be. It will also be noted that, should a second train bepermitted to enter the block While the first train is stillin the block, it will not interfere With the proper actuation of the signals for, although the first train on leaving the block will clear the sig- "nal, the latter will immediately go to danger for the reason thatthe track relay 5 has been again actuated by the second train to close one break in the motor circuit, theother 1 breakbeing closed as soon as brush. S moves from-engagement with one commutator arm I in contact with the succeeding commutator arm G, thereby completing the circuit through the motor to cause the same to 'contintle its movement to set the semaphore at danger. When the second train leaves the block the signal will be cleared in the 'reg'jnlar way.

t Will be understood that the signal sys tem hereinbefore described is applicable to raiiways generally, Whether they be steam.

16', respec' I, lead g, slip-ring L,'brush N, lead'h,vmagnet- .100" for any other cause, while the signal:isbeinglg';- I

are used to complete the return circuit of the power current used inoperatihg the cars, it will be desirable, of course, to bond the rails at the joints, andin order tq render"; the rail which contains the insulated sec? tions at the block ends, continuous, a bond? wire as X is run, around the insulated sec-j .tions, in the mannerv shown at sections 12" and13inFig. 1. v y p I What I claim as my invention is: I

lJIn" a' railway i-si naling system, the combination of a signa a motor for actuating the same, a track relay for closing the" motor circuit, and an electro-magnet in the mo tor circuit having an armature adapted to break the motor 'circuit at the track relay after the signal-has been actuated.

"'2'; In a railway signaling system, thevcombinationof a signal, a motor for actuate ing the same, a. track relay for closing the" motor circuit, and an electromagnet in the J motor circuit adapted to engage and rev tract the armature, of the track rela "break the motor circuit after the sign has been actuated.

l f I I v 3. In a railway signaling system, the combinaticn offer signal, a motor for actuat-- ingthe same, atrack relay for closing the [motor circuit, switch mechanism controlled by the motor for openingthe motor circuit when the signa' has been actuated, and an n the motor circuit for re storing the armature of the track-relay and breaking the j'motor circuit at said track relay. 7

4. In a railway signaling system, the combination of a signal, a motor for actuatthe same, a track'relay for closing the motor circuit, anielectro-magnet, in the ,motor circuit.having an armature adapted to breakthe motor circuit at the track relay when the signal has been actuated, and a relay in the motor circuit adapted-to close a shunt about the track relay contacts in the motor circuit to prevent the'signal being left in inoperative relation upon temporary cessation of current in the motor circuit.

-5. In a railway signaling system, the combination of a signal, a motor for actuating the same, a trackrelay for closingthe motor circuit, an electro-magnet in the motor circuit ada ted to en age and retract the armature of tiie track re a to break the motor circuit when the signal as been actuated, and a relay in the motor circuit adapted to close a shunt about the track relay contacts in the motor circuit to prevent the signal being left in inoperative re ation upon temporary cessation of current in the motor circuit.

6. In a railway signaling system, the combination of a signal, a motor for actuating the same, a track relay for closing thev motor cir-' cuit, switch mechanism controlled by the "motor for; opening the motor circuit when the. signal has been actuated, an electro- -m-agnet in the motor circuit for restorin the armature of the track relay and brea ing the motor circuit at said track relay, and a relay inthe motor circuit adapted to close .a shunt about the track relay contacts in themotor circuit to revent the signal being left ,ii n 'irrope'rative re ation upon temporary vces- I station of current in the motor c rcuit.

7. In a railway signalingsystem, the combination of a signal, a motor for moving said signal, a'track relay for closing the motor circuit, switch mechanismcontrolled by the motor for opening the motor circuit when the signalhas been actuated, and a relay in the ;motor,'circuit for closin'g a shuntabout the track relay contacts, as and for the purpose described.

8. Ina railway si naling system, the com-- bination "of a' semap ore, a motor for rotating 'said semaphore, substantially on'e-quar- 'ter of a revolutionrfor each successive signal- .ing. position, a trackrelay foreclosing the motor circuit, switch mechanism controlled by the motor for opening; the motor circuit when the signal has been actuated, and a relay in the motor circuit for closing a shunt about. the track relay contacts, as and for .the purpose describe 9. A'railway signalin system, comprising a si nal at one end 0 .a track section or bloc ,,a motor for actuating the signal, a

- track rel'ay at each end of the block for closing motor circuit contacts, and switchmechanism controlled by the motor for opening the motor circuitcontro'lled by one track relay,and closing the motor circuit controlled by the other track relay, whereby the signal isset to danger by the car entering the block.

and cleared y the car leaving the block.

10. A railway signaling system comprising a signal at one end of a track section or block, a motor for actuating the signal, a track relay at eachend of the block for closing motor circuit contacts, switch mechanism controlled by the motor for opening the motor circuit controlled by one track relay and closing the motonnircuit controlled by the other track relay, and a rela interposed between the respective track re ays and the motor for closingshunts about the respec-- tive track'relay contacts to preverihthe signal beingleft in inoperative position upon temporary cessation of current'in the motor circuit.-

11. In a railway signaling system; the

combination with a track relay having a pivoted member, of an electro-magnet cooperating with said track relay to retract the armature thereofand break the signaling circuit established thereby at the track relay contac ts; .'.said electrlo-magnet having an armatiii'e carrying a pivoted detent adapted to swing-past the pivoted'melnber 0f the track with an opening 4", so constructed and arrelay when said armature is attracted by the ranged that the fall of said armature 4 will magnet and to engage said pivoted member retract'the pivoted member 5 and the armaan retract the same when said magnet is de tureof .said relay 5.

5 energized I f In testimony whereof, I'ha've hereunto 5 12. The 'ccn'ibination of a relay 5 having a subscribed my name.

pivoted member 5" connected with the arma- FRANCIS L. OBRYAN.

ture thereof and an electro-magnet 4 pro-' Witnesses:

vided with an armature 4 having ahinged LYNETTE CLARK,

'10 member'4. secured thereto and provided JOHN H. TEMPLE; 

